Lourdes, UT announce national art contest

“Justice Through Our Eyes” – a feature of the Fourth National Restorative Justice Conference. This spring, Lourdes University and The University of Toledo are partnering to present the Fourth National Restorative Justice Conference. The conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel at the UT Medical Center, June 19-21 and will bring nearly 500 leading international academics, practitioners, and activists in the fields of restorative and racial justice together as they focus on “Keeping It Real – Race & Restorative Justice.”

A new component of the national conference in 2013 is the “Justice Through Our Eyes” art program. Designed to capture the essence and soul of justice in its truest form through the eyes of our youth, the program is calling for students – either in K to 8th grade, or High School through Higher Education to create a work of art that answers the question: “What does justice mean to me?”

All artists’ submissions will be included in the 2013 Fourth National Restorative Justice Conference program booklet. One winning entry from each category – “K to 8th grade” and “High School through Higher Education” will be chosen by a select panel of art and social justice professionals. The two winning student artists will receive a $500 Visa gift card that can be used for art supplies for the student and his/her classmates, and will be acknowledged during the conference’s opening session. The winning entries will also be posted at www.restorativejusticenow.org and appear on billboards in and around the Toledo, OH area courtesy of Lamar Advertising Company.

“We are excited to add this component to the national conference and look forward to viewing and sharing the views of our youth, as expressed through their artwork,” notes Morris Jenkins, Ph.D., J.D., Chair of the conference and Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice & Social Work at The University of Toledo.

For more information on the “Justice Through Our Eyes” art program or the Fourth National Restorative Justice Conference, contact Co-Chair Gina Paris, Adjunct Sociology Professor and Diversity Trainer, at 419-277-0568 or restorativejusticetoledo@gmail.com.

The University of Toledo is one of 14 state universities in Ohio. Established in 1872, the institution became a member of the state university system in 1967. The University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio merged in July 2006 to form the third-largest public university operating budget in the state. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information visit www. utoledo.edu or call 800-586-5336.

Rooted in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, Lourdes University offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 academic majors as well as graduate degrees in business, education, liberal arts, nursing, organizational leadership and theology. Community outreach programs include the Appold Planetarium, the Center for Science Education & the Environment, Lifelong Learning, and Theater Vision.

A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Lourdes students can also compete in a variety of men and women’s sports. Named a “Best in the Midwest” college by the Princeton Review, Lourdes University is a nationally accredited, veteran and transfer-friendly institution offering a variety of student scholarships. Discover us online at www.lourdes.edu or by phone at 800-878-3210.